Jordan L. Mott III

Story
Decoys
Credits

Watercolor of the Pilentery Club by Jordan L. “Poppa” Mott, III–collection of the Carteret County Historical Society

🟡 LARGE RESEARCH VOLUME

OWNERS

Jordan L. Mott, III
Katherine “Kitty” Mott

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Lawrence Mott, son and author

James Mason

LOCATION
Pilentery Creek, North Core Banks–“The Pilentery Club”

Story

Jordan L. Mott, III was president of the J. L.Mott Ironworks (his father had invented the first anthracite coal stove). His millionaire status and national/global social connections caused him to seek a retreat on Core Banks.

do you know more? contact me.

Jordan L. Mott, III (1857-1932)–“Poppa Jordan”

“While Lawrence (son) was busy gaining notoriety as a budding author in 1905, his parents had found an idyllic spot on the North Carolina coast as a site for a rod and gun club. Hence they purchased the land and there was built the Pilantary Club where the Mott family found rest and refuge from their strenuous European travels and social obligations.”

“Located on Core Banks of the eastern coast of North Carolina, it was a sportsman’s paradise, abounding in all types of fish and game. Lawrence (son and author) did much of his writing here as a break from his trips to the Canadian Wilderness.”

“In between visits to New York and Pilantary Point, Kitty and Jordan spent much of their time in Europe. Kitty wasted no time communicating with royalty and entertaining them whenever the opportunity presented itself.”

—excerpted from Mott Street

After the death of Theodore Rogers in 1903, executors had sold the property to Arthur Tryon Kemp–who may have never visited the property. In December, 1905, Kemp sold the property to Mott. Later, Alvin Mason deeded two additional tracts to Mott in 1907. Alvin was caretaker and guide at the Pilentery (along with others of the Mason family–one descendant states that up to 17 of the Mason family were present during one of the Mott visits.)

December 21, 1919, the Motts sold the property to Robert Lassiter (of the Charlotte area).

Poppa Mott would carry his watercolors to the hunting blind and paint when the skies were empty. The fine rendition of Yellowlegs is an example of his work, as is the watercolor of the Pilentery. He often gifted his work to his friends.

In 1915, Franklin Roosevelt (then Asst. Secretary of the Navy) visited the Pilentery Club. He hunted with Mott and additionally, was impressed with the medicinal qualities of the naive Pilentery bush .

Roosevelt climbs into the ox cart with Alvin Mason driving nd Mott to the right–1915 (courtesy of Worth Mason, originally from the Roosevelt Library.

Described by Jordan Mott, VI as “the greatest snob in Euro-American history “, Kitty Mott aligned with Germany’s Kaiser without Jordan’s knowledge–causing the Motts to retreat to the states after World War I began and when the Kaiser connection became public.

Jordan Mott IV , author, brought local embarrassment to the family with his affair with a married woman while using the Pilentery for their love nest. Jordan, III was very upset and the event fractured the family relations. Mott valued his lost reputation in the area.

“Now, the Motts in their years at the Pilentery had never enjoyed anything but a spotless reputation and her local townfolk were more than puzzled by the arrival of a beautiful woman who was certainly NOT Mott’s wife. The rumor mill started…” (Mott Street) The event and earlier issues led to Lawrence being disinherited.

The 1919 sale of the Pilentery to Lassiter followed the WW I events and alliances coupled with changes in social status locally and globally.

The third Jordan L. Mott died in 1932 while yachting in the Bahamas. His obituary, New York Times, 8 Jan. 1932, read in part, “Announcement was made here last night of the sudden death yesterday in Nelson Harbor, Bahamas, B. W. I., of Jordan L. Mott, former president of the J. L. Mott Iron Works, at the age of 74. His grandson, Jordan L. Mott 3d, received a cablegram stating that death was due to a sudden heart attack… Entering the family business as a young man, Mr. Mott succeeded to the presidency of the company on the death of his father in July, 1915. He retired about ten years ago…”—–from his obituary.